Dallas Felony Defense Attorney
Are You Facing Felony Charges in Dallas, Texas?
According to Texas law, felonies are the most severely punishable category of criminal offense that you could face. Failing to hire adequate legal representation significantly increases the likelihood that you could face a conviction for these crimes. A conviction for felony-level offenses could result in serious penalties, including mandatory time in state prison.
You need an experienced felony defense attorney to have any chance at fighting back against felony charges. Choose a felony defense lawyer who you can trust to fight boldly and aggressively for your rights in a court of law.
At Gallian Firm, we understand the stress and fear that felony charges bring upon you and your loved ones. The sooner that you reach out to our team of experienced felony defense lawyers, the sooner we can begin working hard to build your defense.
Call 214.432.8860 today if you are facing felony charges and think you may need a felony defense lawyer. Felony defense lawyers Gallian Firm have helped hundreds of clients beat felony charges and maintain their freedom.
Felony Crimes in Texas
Every year, over half a million people are arrested in the State of Texas. Many of these arrests are for felony crimes. The most common types of felony charges are related to drugs, theft, violence, and/or sexual-based offenses.
Examples of Felony Offenses:
- Aggravated Assault
- Burglary
- Drug Trafficking
- DWI (Subsequent Offenses)
- Possession of Child Pornography
- Manslaughter
- Murder
- Solicitation of Minor
- White Collar Crimes
The Texas Legal System divides felony crimes into four main categories, including 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-degree, and State jail felonies. These categories are determined based on the severity of the alleged criminal allegations. with state jail felonies being the least severe, and 1st-degree felonies reserved for the most serious crimes.
Crimes committed against a vulnerable individual(s), including a child, disabled person, and/or the elderly are likely to be enhanced to a felony act. Examples of these aggravated offenses include general child abuse charges, aggravated kidnapping, assault committed against a disabled person, financial scams against the elderly, etc.
Penalties for Felony Charges in Texas
There are an extensive number of personal, professional, and legal penalties that could occur if you are convicted of felony charges. The severity of these penalties is based on the degree of these crimes.
State Jail Felony
State jail felony convictions could result in sentencing that ranges from from 6 months to 2 years in prison and fines of up $2000.
3rd-Degree Felony
3rd-degree felony charges could result in up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $10,000.
2nd-Degree Felony
2nd-degree felony convictions could be ordered to serve up to 20 years behind bars and up to $10,000 in fines.
1st-Degree Felony
1st-degree felony charges could result in sentencing of up to 99 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
Capital Felony
There is one additional category of felony crimes that is handled more seriously than all of the previously mentioned categories, known as a capital felony. A capital felony is the only crime that is punishable by the death penalty in Texas.
All capital felonies involve some form of deliberate homicide and aggravated circumstances. Examples of a capital felony includes the murder of a police officer, firefighter, or young child. Other examples of a capital felony would include homicides that are committed in exchange for financial compensation.
Capital felony charges can also apply if a murder occurs during the act of another serious felony, such as burglary.
Fortunately, capital felony charges and capital felony cases are rare. This is because the stakes in these cases are extremely high. The only two potential outcomes if convicted on these charges are life in prison or the death penalty prosecutors are confident that they can secure a conviction.
Personal and Professional Consequences
There is a common misconception that reporting agencies are not allowed to disclose felonies after 7 years. This simply is not true. The inability to disclose arrests only applies to deferred cases. Felony convictions will remain on your criminal record indefinitely and could severely limit future opportunities.
Numerous personal and professional consequences could occur if you are convicted of a felony crime. This can have a negative effect on your reputation and could lead to issues in your personal relationships. Examples of personal damages could include marital dissolution, career issues, financial damages, housing restrictions, and more.
There are certain felony offenses that could be especially devastating to your reputation within your community, including theft crimes, sexually motivated offenses, and drug-related charges.
Convicted felons are also stripped of their basic constitutional rights, including the right to own a firearm and the right to vote.
Differences Between a Misdemeanor and Felony in Texas?
The Texas Criminal Justice System separates offenses into two categories called misdemeanors and felonies. Categorization for each specific crime is determined based on the severity of the acts involved. This can generally be determined by the amount of resulting damages in the case.
For example, any theft crimes that result in less than $2500 dollars in damages are considered misdemeanor offenses.
Felony charges would apply for any theft crime valued over this amount, or if the theft occurred during the commission of another felony crime.
Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations is a set of laws that dictate the amount of time that is legally allowed to pass before criminal charges are no longer applicable.
Generally, misdemeanor crimes are restricted to a significantly shorter statute of limitations than felony charges.
There are some felony crimes that can result in serious charges, regardless of the amount of time that has passed since the alleged date that the crime occurred. Crimes with no statute of limitations include murder, manslaughter, continuous sexual abuse of a child, aggravated sexual assault, human trafficking, and more.
Any felony offenses that are not listed specifically in the Texas Legal Code are subject to a 3-year statute of limitations.
Misdemeanor Vs. Felony Prison Sentencing
Felony offenders are sentenced to significantly longer prison sentences than individuals convicted on misdemeanor charges.
A simple drug possession charge, for example, is a Class A misdemeanor offense and carries a maximum sentence of up to one year in a local jail. This is a significantly shorter prison sentence than a felony offender would be ordered to complete.
Unfortunately, Texas prosecutors take advantage of every opportunity to enhance misdemeanor charges.
For example, there are numerous elements that could allow prosecutors to enhance a simple drug possession charge to a felony-level crime.
How to Beat Felony Charges in Texas
Texas prosecutors are relentless and will pursue maximum penalties for both felony and misdemeanor offenses. Do not trust your case and future to any mainstream felony attorney. You will need the best felony attorney in your corner to help you beat or reduce felony charges against you.
Gallian Firm provides aggressive and bold felony defense and other legal representation to clients in Dallas, Texas, and surrounding areas.
It is critical that you choose a felony defense attorney who genuinely cares about his clients and will fight aggressively for your rights in a court of law.
Reach out to Gallian Firm today and allow a team of experienced, knowledgeable, and passionate legal professionals to begin working to build your case.
